"Enta meen?" (Who are you?)
Then he realised that he had reached the fort on the top of the hill, and that the Egyptian sentry at the gate was challenging him. For a moment he stood speechless, trying in vain to remember the name by which he was henceforward to be known.
"Who are you?" cried the sentry again, and then Gordon answered—
"Omar."
"Omar—what?" cried the sentry.
Again Gordon was speechless for a moment.
"Answer!" cried the sentry, and he raised his rifle to his shoulder.
"Omar Benani the Bedouin," said Gordon at last, and then the sentry lowered his gun.
"Pass, Omar Benani. All's well!"
But Gordon had a still greater surprise awaiting him. As he was going on, he became aware that the Egyptian soldier was walking by his side and speaking in a low tone.